The Battle of Five Armies
by LOTR-nutcase
Summary: Completely bogus fic about how Gimli and Legolas really met pre-Council of Elrond.


The Battle of 5 Armies  
  
He was surrounded.  
After hours of hard fighting along the Eastern outcropping of the Lonely Mountain, Gimli son of Gloin had retreated backwards and upwards to a small cove of rock. There he was to act as lookout for Dain's Dwarfish troops. He could see the main battle clearly...the tide had turned in their favor after Thorin and company had led their small charge out the gate. But there were many Goblins left to fight.  
Tired as he was (this was his first battle), Gimli failed to noticed a band of 8 Goblins climbing over the protective western wall of his haven in time to escape. He did, however, hear the crumbling of rock as they stepped down off the cliff and onto the grass. Barely in time, he ducked behind a nearby boulder.  
Well, isn't this perfect. My first battle and I'm about to be killed because I wasn't paying attention. As much as he wanted to stay in hiding, Gimli knew that the one life he would lose in combat with 8 goblins was far less than those that would be lost if they succeeded in ambushing Dain's troops from behind. The goblins were carrying crossbows, and obviously intended to shoot down the allied Free Peoples. Curse their black hearts! If they have hearts!  
Gimli continued observing the goblins from his vantagepoint behind the rock. They scanned the little cove, then drew together into a circle to confer.  
"I don't like this, Bazor! We're too exposed here to start picking off the enemy! One shot and they'll be on us like hornets." The goblin speaking was a short, wiry fellow with the slimiest hair Gimli had ever seen.  
"Orders is orders! Now shut up and set up, and do as you're told!" The largest of the goblins, their leader, knelt and began loading his crossbow. The 7 others followed suit.  
Now or never! Gimli steeled himself and abruptly leaped out from behind the rock! "Baruk-Khazad! Moria, Moria!"  
Gimli sprinted towards Bazor, the only one with his bow loaded and aimed. Part of Gimli's mind noted that the bow was pointed at the Elf-king. He was intercepted by two goblins, who drew their scimitars and attempted to chop off his head. Diving to the grass, a single swipe of Gimli's axe felled the first goblin, and the body tripped the second.  
He rolled hastily to his feet. 5 others had started towards him, and Gimli knew he couldn't take them all. But he also knew that he had to try: it was only seconds until Bazor fired. Gripping his axe firmly, he rushed at the scaly villain. Hurry! Hurry! He's almost got it lined up...  
An arrow whizzed by Gimli's head. As he jerked in the opposite direction, another flew into the forehead of the goblin nearest him. In the split-second before he joined in battle with the four advancing goblins, the dwarf noted that the threat to the Elf-king was gone: A single, almost impossibly accurate arrow had pierced the leader's neck.  
But Gimli had no time to admire the handiwork of his unknown assistant: four goblins were attacking him at once. Ah! He thought cheerfully, This is just like that one in lessons last year...let's see, how were we supposed to do it? Right.  
In a tricky maneuver, Gimli chopped the head off of the first goblin, and used the momentum of that stroke to throw himself at the feet of the second. As the second goblin stumbled, the dwarf finished him off, and neatly cleaved the third into two rather gruesome-looking pieces. The last goblin was also sliced into two sections. Picking himself up, he brushed the dried grass and leaves off of his armor, and looked around in satisfaction. Father will be proud when he hears of this! And best of all, they can continue the battle uninterrupted...  
The thought of the greater battle still taking place quieted Gimli's pride. He turned around to check the status of the Dwarf troops only to find that he was not alone. A tall, rather young-looking Elf stood behind him, gazing at the scattered bodies. Gimli noted, jealously, that the Elf's hair was unmussed, there was no dirt on his face, and he didn't look in the least winded from the climb up the mountainside.  
"Not bad for a Dwarf. I would have finished the other four off for you too, but I thought you probably wanted to do it yourself. I must admit, you did an excellent job of it..." the Elf paused. "For a dwarf, of course."  
Gimli's raised his eyebrows slightly. Elves did not give compliments to dwarves. Even half-hearted compliments with subtle racial digs were nearly unheard of. Stiffly, he returned the favor. "I must thank you for assistance, elf. I fear had you not arrived when you did, Bazor would have succeeded in felling his target."  
The Elf gave a polite half-bow. "I am Legolas, son of Thranduil, and in this war against the cursed yrch I am happy to be of aid." The Elf walked lightly to the body of Bazor. Examining the position of the crossbow, his face darkened. He murmured something under his breath.  
"Thranduil? He was aiming at your father, then. I am Gimli, son of Gloin, and have just arrived with Dain from the Iron Hills." Gimli glanced out at the battle. "It's time I returned and reported this. But if you don't mind my asking," he cautiously asked, "what brought you up here in time to shoot that goblin?"  
Looking up, Legolas gave a half-smile. "Actually, I was still down there when I killed them, but it appeared that you might require further aid, so I climbed up to see." The Elf began walking down the slope to the main battle. "And I fear I should return, also. My father will have need of each archer before this day is through. I bid you farewell, Gimli son of Gloin. May we meet again under happier circumstances!" With that he was gone.  
Gimli stood and watched him disappear below the ridge. That's impossible. No one could've hit that goblin at that range...but then, he IS an elf...I wonder if we will ever meet again? More than likely we'll both die in this bloody battle...Sighing, Gimli walked down the mountainside. 


End file.
